Chile under Pinochet
General Augusto Pinochet, one of the most
controversial figures in recent Chilean his-
tory, was head of the military junta that ruled
Chile from 1973 to 1990. The 1973 coup
overthrew the Socialist president Salvador
Allende, who is believed to have committed
suicide in the midst of the coup. Civilian rule
was eventually restored in 1990, opening the
way for the transition to democracy.
República de Chile
Republic of Chile
←
1973–1990
→
Flag
Coat of arms
Motto
Por la Razón o la Fuerza
"By right or might"
Anthem
Himno Nacional de Chile
Capital
Santiago, Chile
Language(s)
Spanish
Government
Military dictatorship[1]
Head of state¹
Augusto Pinochet
Legislature
Government Junta²
Historical era
Cold War
- Coup d’état
September 11, 1973
- Constitution
September 11, 1980
- Civilian rule
March 11, 1990
Currency
Chilean peso
¹ The titles used were Chairman of the Government Junta
until June 27, 1974, then Supreme Chief of the Nation until
December 17, 1974 and there after President of Chile.
² The National Congress of Chile was suspended until the
return to civilian rule in 1990.
Rise to power
On August 22, 1973 the Chamber of Deputies
of Chile passed, by a vote of 81 to 47, a resol-
ution calling for President Allende’s removal,
by force if necessary. The measure failed to
obtain the two-thirds vote in the Senate
constitutionally required to convict the pres-
ident of abuse of power, but represented a
dramatic challenge to Allende’s legitimacy.
The military seized on the widespread dis-
content and the Chamber’s resolution to
launch the September 11, 1973 coup d’état
(see 1973 coup in Chile) and install them-
selves in power as a Military Government
Junta, composed of the heads of the Army,
Navy, Air Force and Carabineros (police).
Once the Junta was in power, General
Augusto Pinochet soon consolidated his con-
trol over the government. Since he was the
commander-in-chief of the oldest branch of
the military forces (the Army), he was made
the titular head of the junta, and soon after
President of Chil